I got the dreaded “what bike should I get” last week but it turned out to be a really well thought out question… She wants something xc/trailbikeish- will do an occasional duathlon but also lots of bashing around glentress and innerleithen (red rather than downhill).

Budget is up to £750 for the right bike, ideally a little less. She is 5’7, and she’s a fairly experienced rider and used to riding hte same trails on an ancient rigid Specialized, looking at hardtail rather than full suss and possibly 29er curious if the price is right. And no pink bits. Oh lastly she wants to sit on it first so probably no direct sales.

So I went Boardman Comp- comes in a small, not a bad part on it, good sensible “just a mountain bike”. They don’t seem to do small sizes in most of the Voodoos.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_777733_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

(there is a female specific one which is almost identical but with unneccesary pinkness, and the fork wound down 20mm. Sadly Voodoos don’t cater well for smalls)

So… What’s the competition?